2017 Lawn thread
Discussion
Hello all...
I'm currently in the process of renewing our garden, which will involve returfing the lawn. I used Rolawn to do this at our previous place and it was good stuff, if expensive. I notice Rolawn now own Hallstone, which is marketed as a budget line of turf/soils. Hallstone didn't sell turf before they were bought by Rolawn and their website says Rolawn cultivate and harvest the turf for Hallstone, perhaps from a field right next door to where they grow Rolawn Medallion, or even that it is the same stuff?!
I emailed Hallstone to ask them how similar the two products are, asking (stupidly) for names and percentages of cultivars used in each grass blend. The reply was pretty vague, basically saying they were similar seed blend but Hallstone just wasn't up to the same standard as Medallion. They refused to elaborate on exactly how they differed, so I can only speculate.
Has anyone used Hallstone turf? What is your opinion on it?
I'm reluctant to buy Rolawn again as I have read many reviews on the internet, from landscapers, that have said the quality has declined in recent years. Cost cutting has reduced the thickness of the cut turf which now uses biodegradable netting to hold it together rather than relying on the root structure of the turf itself. This reduces weights and transport costs but the product is the poorer for it.
Or... can anyone suggest a good quality alternative? Qlawns? Inturf?
Many thanks
I'm currently in the process of renewing our garden, which will involve returfing the lawn. I used Rolawn to do this at our previous place and it was good stuff, if expensive. I notice Rolawn now own Hallstone, which is marketed as a budget line of turf/soils. Hallstone didn't sell turf before they were bought by Rolawn and their website says Rolawn cultivate and harvest the turf for Hallstone, perhaps from a field right next door to where they grow Rolawn Medallion, or even that it is the same stuff?!
I emailed Hallstone to ask them how similar the two products are, asking (stupidly) for names and percentages of cultivars used in each grass blend. The reply was pretty vague, basically saying they were similar seed blend but Hallstone just wasn't up to the same standard as Medallion. They refused to elaborate on exactly how they differed, so I can only speculate.
Has anyone used Hallstone turf? What is your opinion on it?
I'm reluctant to buy Rolawn again as I have read many reviews on the internet, from landscapers, that have said the quality has declined in recent years. Cost cutting has reduced the thickness of the cut turf which now uses biodegradable netting to hold it together rather than relying on the root structure of the turf itself. This reduces weights and transport costs but the product is the poorer for it.
Or... can anyone suggest a good quality alternative? Qlawns? Inturf?
Many thanks
r44flyer said:
Hello all...
I'm currently in the process of renewing our garden, which will involve returfing the lawn. I used Rolawn to do this at our previous place and it was good stuff, if expensive. I notice Rolawn now own Hallstone, which is marketed as a budget line of turf/soils. Hallstone didn't sell turf before they were bought by Rolawn and their website says Rolawn cultivate and harvest the turf for Hallstone, perhaps from a field right next door to where they grow Rolawn Medallion, or even that it is the same stuff?!
I emailed Hallstone to ask them how similar the two products are, asking (stupidly) for names and percentages of cultivars used in each grass blend. The reply was pretty vague, basically saying they were similar seed blend but Hallstone just wasn't up to the same standard as Medallion. They refused to elaborate on exactly how they differed, so I can only speculate.
Has anyone used Hallstone turf? What is your opinion on it?
I'm reluctant to buy Rolawn again as I have read many reviews on the internet, from landscapers, that have said the quality has declined in recent years. Cost cutting has reduced the thickness of the cut turf which now uses biodegradable netting to hold it together rather than relying on the root structure of the turf itself. This reduces weights and transport costs but the product is the poorer for it.
Or... can anyone suggest a good quality alternative? Qlawns? Inturf?
Many thanks
slightly off topic but out of curiosity how much have you budgeted to re-turf your lawn? I'm half and half about doing mine as it's been neglected for years and about 60% of it is miss so thinking of starting again but not sure if it's going to be cost effective. I'm currently in the process of renewing our garden, which will involve returfing the lawn. I used Rolawn to do this at our previous place and it was good stuff, if expensive. I notice Rolawn now own Hallstone, which is marketed as a budget line of turf/soils. Hallstone didn't sell turf before they were bought by Rolawn and their website says Rolawn cultivate and harvest the turf for Hallstone, perhaps from a field right next door to where they grow Rolawn Medallion, or even that it is the same stuff?!
I emailed Hallstone to ask them how similar the two products are, asking (stupidly) for names and percentages of cultivars used in each grass blend. The reply was pretty vague, basically saying they were similar seed blend but Hallstone just wasn't up to the same standard as Medallion. They refused to elaborate on exactly how they differed, so I can only speculate.
Has anyone used Hallstone turf? What is your opinion on it?
I'm reluctant to buy Rolawn again as I have read many reviews on the internet, from landscapers, that have said the quality has declined in recent years. Cost cutting has reduced the thickness of the cut turf which now uses biodegradable netting to hold it together rather than relying on the root structure of the turf itself. This reduces weights and transport costs but the product is the poorer for it.
Or... can anyone suggest a good quality alternative? Qlawns? Inturf?
Many thanks
I would start with members of the Turf Growers Association.
I really don't like turf or seed mixes where they keep quiet about what species and cultivars are used. Granted, it won't mean much to most, but it shows that they're open and does give you chance to research those cultivars.
I really don't like turf or seed mixes where they keep quiet about what species and cultivars are used. Granted, it won't mean much to most, but it shows that they're open and does give you chance to research those cultivars.
After a bit of work in 2015 the lawn was looking good, 2016 was a year off and it's now reverted to being a mossfest. Looking to go through the same process again, scarify/rake then overseed with additional compost. Not sure when I can kick this process off exactly, would like it to be sooner rather than later.
Will be looking to labour save; can anybody recommend a decent cheap-ish spreader? It's not a huge area and not dificult by hand but the measurement is tedious and results not very uniform.
May also invest in the cheapest scarifier going as I've lost the previous one (how?!): Black + Decker GD300 30cm Lawnraker. Likely to be used twice a year, less than an hour in total.
Will be looking to labour save; can anybody recommend a decent cheap-ish spreader? It's not a huge area and not dificult by hand but the measurement is tedious and results not very uniform.
May also invest in the cheapest scarifier going as I've lost the previous one (how?!): Black + Decker GD300 30cm Lawnraker. Likely to be used twice a year, less than an hour in total.
TheInternet said:
After a bit of work in 2015 the lawn was looking good, 2016 was a year off and it's now reverted to being a mossfest. Looking to go through the same process again, scarify/rake then overseed with additional compost. Not sure when I can kick this process off exactly, would like it to be sooner rather than later.
Will be looking to labour save; can anybody recommend a decent cheap-ish spreader? It's not a huge area and not dificult by hand but the measurement is tedious and results not very uniform.
May also invest in the cheapest scarifier going as I've lost the previous one (how?!): Black + Decker GD300 30cm Lawnraker. Likely to be used twice a year, less than an hour in total.
I just looked for one myself and you can rent them for £20 for a weekend at the minute at HSS as they're doing some discount of deal. ordered some iron oxide then once that's down going to get one i reckon. Will be looking to labour save; can anybody recommend a decent cheap-ish spreader? It's not a huge area and not dificult by hand but the measurement is tedious and results not very uniform.
May also invest in the cheapest scarifier going as I've lost the previous one (how?!): Black + Decker GD300 30cm Lawnraker. Likely to be used twice a year, less than an hour in total.
richatnort said:
I just looked for one myself and you can rent them for £20 for a weekend at the minute at HSS as they're doing some discount of deal. ordered some iron oxide then once that's down going to get one i reckon.
I picked a decent Scarifier up on Gumtree for £20, it was barely even used. I know it's only £20 but there is no point in renting one if you can buy one for the same price!iambigred said:
richatnort said:
I just looked for one myself and you can rent them for £20 for a weekend at the minute at HSS as they're doing some discount of deal. ordered some iron oxide then once that's down going to get one i reckon.
I picked a decent Scarifier up on Gumtree for £20, it was barely even used. I know it's only £20 but there is no point in renting one if you can buy one for the same price!richatnort said:
Yeh I've looked on Gumtree and can't find one that's the problem so I was thinking of renting one until one came up on Gumtree.
For me there's no point in renting one at £20 a go if a new one is £60 which I'll use for many years. You may need something cheaper/better of course.I'd always recommend hiring a decent petrol scarifier for anything but the very smallest of lawns when it comes to actual scarifying. Unless you're very lucky you're not going to pick one of those up second hand for next to nothing.
Little electric ones are ok at raking out the worst of the moss, but you need real power and heft to cut into the surface of the soil which is where so much of the benefit in scarifying happens: aeration, removal of thatch, dividing of stolons/rhizomes, etc.
A small electric one can be useful for raking and possibly removal of lateral above ground growth with the right tines, but it's not really up to the task of scarification proper.
Little electric ones are ok at raking out the worst of the moss, but you need real power and heft to cut into the surface of the soil which is where so much of the benefit in scarifying happens: aeration, removal of thatch, dividing of stolons/rhizomes, etc.
A small electric one can be useful for raking and possibly removal of lateral above ground growth with the right tines, but it's not really up to the task of scarification proper.
Lidl Florabest Electric Scarifier and aerator £59.99 on 12 March with 3 yr warranty. Just make sure to retain your receipt.
http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?actio...
No reviews but the product video on their de site.
https://www.lidl.de/de/florabest-elektro-vertikuti...
http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?actio...
No reviews but the product video on their de site.
https://www.lidl.de/de/florabest-elektro-vertikuti...
richatnort said:
slightly off topic but out of curiosity how much have you budgeted to re-turf your lawn? I'm half and half about doing mine as it's been neglected for years and about 60% of it is miss so thinking of starting again but not sure if it's going to be cost effective.
My lawn is about 100sqm. I'm doing it myself so labour costs don't come into it but materials wise and hire of turf stripper etc it'll be at least £700. That's just soil, turf and fertiliser, and there will be no waste to remove as old old turf will be laid in the bottom of new raised beds. Otherwise a skip is nearly 200 here now.I was out in the garden this evening as it was such a nice evening so i thought i'd share the battle i have on my hands this year with the lawn.
Its had years of neglect from the previous owner of the house and a lot of shade on it from the trees on the left and the tree that was on the right.
I've bought some iron sulphate and hope to spread it this weekend and i've managed to find a scarifier on gumtree i can pick up this weekend too hopefully.
Its had years of neglect from the previous owner of the house and a lot of shade on it from the trees on the left and the tree that was on the right.
I've bought some iron sulphate and hope to spread it this weekend and i've managed to find a scarifier on gumtree i can pick up this weekend too hopefully.
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Na Council would be an old sofa thrown on some weeds out the front :-)Can see why it works for some but its not for me for the same reason i use a charcoal bbq over gas.
the maintenance, the skill, the results the reward, the improvement, the challenges, the smell of freshly cut grass etc etc
Or you could learn how to look after a lawn and get all the benefits of real grass versus rolls of plastic - cooling in the summer, removes dust and dirt from the air, releases oxygen, absorbs noise, stabilises soil, difficult to steal, etc.
It's actually not hard at all to have a thick healthy lawn. If drainage is an issue then for the cost of artificial you could sort out the drainage for a real lawn, after all both will require groundwork. A lawn doesn't have to be muddy in the winter.
Each to their own, but for many people plastic lawns are a wholly inadequate substitute for the real thing. A bit like plastic flowers, plastic sheds, plastic blow up dolls - all lower maintenance than their real counterparts but a far cry from the real deal.
It's actually not hard at all to have a thick healthy lawn. If drainage is an issue then for the cost of artificial you could sort out the drainage for a real lawn, after all both will require groundwork. A lawn doesn't have to be muddy in the winter.
Each to their own, but for many people plastic lawns are a wholly inadequate substitute for the real thing. A bit like plastic flowers, plastic sheds, plastic blow up dolls - all lower maintenance than their real counterparts but a far cry from the real deal.
R66bby said:
scarifying the lawn next week. I have alot of moss, i was planning on putting evergreen complete 4 in 1 on the lawn after wards. can anyone recommend this or an alternative?
Im planning on doing the same. Bought my £60 lidl scarifier today and managed to get my first cut done too. Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff